The Anti-Depression Diet

In the fight against depression, food has always been an ally. But new research from the University of Eastern Finland goes one step further, finding that food can be a protector against the mood disorder.

"A diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and fish has been connected to decreased depression,” said Anu Ruusunen, MSc, a clinical nutritionist from the university who presented the results as her doctoral thesis in nutritional epidemiology. But food fafctors in long before diagnosis, she found. After examining 13-20 years' worth of food diaries from 2,000 middle-aged men who were participating in the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor study, and after studying the lifestyle habits of 140 men and women for three years during the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study, she concluded that the same dieting trends are equally associated with a healthy person’s risk of experiencing depression.

How can diet help prevent depression? One big key seems to be the B vitamin folate, which is found in vegetables, berries, whole-grains, and liver. Ruusunen’s thesis revealed a strong correlation between folate intake and reduced risk of depression. On the other hand, sugary goods were all associated with increased depression risk.

“Reinforcing healthy dietary patterns may have advantages,” said Ruusunen. “Moreover, sleep, social relationships, physical activity and avoiding stress are all valuable tools in the struggle against depression. The combination of these is the most valuable key for prevention.”

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